World mourns death of first Latin American Pontiff
JOHANNESBURG - Tributes continue to pour in from across the globe following the death of Pope Francis.
The 88-year-old, who made history as the first Latin American Pontiff, died of heart failure and stroke yesterday.
Just a day earlier, he appeared at Saint Peter's Basilica during Easter Sunday Mass.
Known as a Pope for the poor, the downtrodden, and the forgotten he leaves a legacy of compassion, humility, and reform.
According to Father Hugh O'Connor of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, Pope Francis extended out to the world. They had lost a spiritual father and someone to whom they might turn too.
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IOL News
12-05-2025
- IOL News
Leo XIV to address faithful with St Peter's prayer
This photo taken and handout on May 9, 2025 by The Vatican Media shows Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican. Image: Vatican Media/ AFP Pope Leo XIV will lead the Regina Coeli prayer from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, in his second official public appearance since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church. The noon prayer is expected to draw thousands of people anxious for a closer look at the modest pontiff, born Robert Francis Prevost, who before becoming the first US pope spent much of his life as a missionary in Peru. Cardinals chose Leo as the 267th pope at a secret conclave Thursday, praying he could heal rifts within the Church, renew faith among the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and address a host of modern-day challenges weighing on the more than 2,000-year-old institution. Addressing cardinals on Saturday, the 69-year-old Leo called himself a "humble servant of God... and nothing more than this", and an "unworthy successor" to St Peter, according to a transcript of his speech released by the Vatican. Tribute to Francis In the first clues as to the direction of his pontificate, he said he would be driven by the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died April 21 aged 88 -- "with his example of complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life". On Saturday, Leo prayed before Francis's simple marble tomb inside Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica. The church was a favourite of Francis and the faithful have continued to line up to pay their respects there. Cardinals describe the Chicago-born Leo as in the mold of Francis, with a commitment to the poor and disadvantaged, and a focus on Catholics in far-flung areas of the Church away from Rome. As an Augustinian and former missionary, he also believes the Church is committed to "the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community", as he told Cardinals. Before visiting Francis's tomb, Leo made a surprise outing Saturday to an Augustinian shrine southeast of Rome, the Basilica Sanctuary of the Mother of Good Counsel. Cardinals have described the new pope's personal style as less direct than the sometimes impulsive Francis, a progressive who shook up the Church and often ruffled feathers within the Roman Curia, or government of the Holy See, during his 12-year papacy. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the conservative archbishop of New York, called his fellow countryman "a man of deep faith, rooted in prayer and capable of listening". "This is what gives us hope; not a political programme or a communicative strategy but the concrete testimony of the Gospel," Dolan told the Italian newspaper La Stampa. Soon after being elected Thursday, the soft-spoken Leo's first appearance at the balcony of St Peter's saw him wish peace to "all the people, wherever they are.. to the whole Earth." Now for journalists, diplomats Leo's Regina Coeli prayer to the Virgin Mary, which is recited particularly during Easter, kicks off a busy week of meetings and audiences. On Monday, he will be officially presented to the international media who came to Rome to cover his election. He plans to meet diplomats to the Vatican on Friday and then on Sunday, May 18 he presides over the inaugural mass at St Peter's to mark the beginning of his pontificate. The following week is marked by Leo's first general audience on May 21 -- a normally weekly event by the pope that includes readings from Scripture and a homily for the public. He also plans to meet with members of the Roman Curia and Vatican officials on May 24. In one of his first decisions, Leo has already said the heads of dicasteries, or Vatican departments, will keep their positions for now. Those roles had been suspended between Francis's death and the new pope's election. "The Holy Father wishes to reserve some time for reflection, prayer and dialogue, before any definitive appointment or confirmation," the Vatican said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Meanwhile, the pontiff begins his tours to take possession of Rome's four papal basilicas -- including a visit to Santa Maria Maggiore on May 25, where his predecessor Pope Francis is buried. Francis named Leo a cardinal in 2023 after choosing him to lead the powerful Dicastery of Bishops, which advises the pontiff on bishop appointments. But he has been largely unknown outside the Vatican. He spent approximately two decades in Peru on missions, a central priority of the Augustinian order, taking Peruvian citizenship and learning Spanish -- which he used during his first address from St Peter's Basilica. AFP
eNCA
09-05-2025
- eNCA
'A blessing': US Catholics celebrate first American pope
WASHINGTON - US Catholics flocked to churches nationwide in a celebratory mood to mark the "excitement" of the first-ever American pontiff following Thursday's election of Pope Leo, who worshippers hoped would bring back lapsed believers. Outside Manhattan's imposing St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rosaria Vigorito, 66, said she could "feel the excitement just in the few minutes I've been walking around." The Miami artist said she hoped Pope Leo, a 69-year-old from Chicago who spent much of his career in Peru, would be a reformist. "I have one issue with the Catholic Church that I'm hoping they'll correct, and that is allowing women to become priests," she said, a crucifix around her neck. "I think Mary Magdalene was an important apostle. There was a press release issued by the Vatican years ago -- they called her the apostle to the apostles." Crowds of faithful and journalists had gathered outside the church that first opened its doors in 1879, with hundreds of worshippers filing in to pray and light candles. Oscar Salvador, a labourer from Mexico, said he hoped Leo would be able to stem the tide of people leaving the church. "I believe it is a blessing for the people of America," he said. "Hopefully, he will leave a good legacy... so that more people stay in Catholicism, since lately we have seen many people leave for other religious sects." - 'A bit surprised' - In Houston, the sprawling Texas city where more than a quarter of residents reportedly identify as Catholic, Azul Montemayor said she was "a bit surprised." "I was not expecting an American to be elected and I'm just hoping that he carries on (pope) Francis's legacy of just being more inclusive" and "doesn't get swayed by more conservative ideology" popular now under US President Donald Trump, said the 29-year-old examinations officer. Analyst Ciro Benitez told AFP that Leo's multiculturalism was a sign "that we can expand to different kinds of cultures, (and) I guess, to the world." In Washington, Peruvian diplomat Julio Aiana, 32, said "we are happy that now we have a pope who is half Peruvian" -- referring to the nationality Robert Francis Prevost acquired while ministering there years before becoming pope. "I believe that the times are changing," Aiana said. Reverend Monsignor W. Ronald Jameson, director of St. Matthews cathedral, told AFP Leo "was a friend of pope Francis -- and he has the ability to really listen and reflect on what was said, and to implement those various ideas he heard." In Los Angeles, Francis Fah attended a special mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to offer special prayers for Leo, as the first American pope. "I think that maybe this is a sign that hopefully he can do something to get some peace and stability in the country," she told AFP. Back in New York, worshipper Tim Anderson, 61, said Leo's strength would lie in his languages -- reportedly speaking English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese -- in addition to reading Latin and German. "I'm still working on English so I think it's gonna be interesting in this day and age where there's so much craziness," he laughed. "Maybe he can bring back a little bit of what I remember as a child growing up a Roman Catholic -- and how full the churches were back then." AFP | TIMOTHY A. CLARY - 'Welcoming to everybody'? - Vigorito said she wanted Leo "to bring us together." She acknowledged the new pontiff would have a daunting task to "do as much as (he) can as a religious leader, because we deal with a lot of secular politics and issues." "I would love the new pope to help, especially with conflicts in any way possible, like in Ukraine," she said. Salvador also voiced hope Leo "can reconcile the countries that are at war and help them to reach peace so that we do not continue on this violent path." Having an American pope "will help bring more people to the Catholic Church, and even those that have walked away -- maybe they'll get reengaged," added Vigorito. Annie Elm from North Carolina paid tribute to Francis, calling him "wonderful" and praising his legacy. "He loved everybody. He lived very modestly," she said. "He was very humble." Elm also said she hoped Leo would be "very kind and caring -- welcoming to everybody."
IOL News
02-05-2025
- IOL News
A Man of the People: Hamba Kahle Papa Francisco
Pope Francis was a man of the people. Image: Tiziana Fabi / AFP Pope Francis died and asked to be buried as a simple man. A man of the people. The pope was humorous and funny and loved football - rumoured to be a supporter of San Lorenzo de Almagro FC. On their website, the club simply said: 'Hasta siempre, Santo Padre!' – with these words, meaning 'Farewell forever, Holy Father,' . He was a socio - a card carrying member (Member N°88235) el El Ciclón - from his early days as a priest in Buenos Aires. The club's Instagram page waxed poetically about Papa Francisco and it is worth a watch here: He not only had a common touch, but in life sought to remain in touch with people. It was reported that every night for 18 months the pope would phone the Holy Family Church in Gaza City around 8pm to speak to Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of the besieged Gaza strip's parish. Most calls lasted about 15 minutes as he enquired about the well-being of those sheltered there. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The last call apparently lasted only 30 seconds and was a quick check in, but it affirmed his direct moral and spiritual support and leadership to Christians, and the embattled people of Gaza. It helped to keep hope alive. He was buried last Saturday. Pope Francis was the first Jesuit priest to become pope and at birth he was named Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936. The book taken from his interview, and written by Hernán Reyes Alcaide, is entitled Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims towards a Better World (Nov 24). It was released ahead of the Jubilee Year 2025 with a similar theme, asking us to become pilgrims of hope, as he campaigned against displacement, migration and strife. An excerpt from La Stampa reads thus: "Something similar has happened in the Middle East, where the open doors of nations such as Jordan or Lebanon continue to be the salvation of millions of people fleeing the conflicts in the area: I am thinking especially of those who leave Gaza in the midst of the famine that has struck their Palestinian brothers and sisters in the face of the difficulty of getting food and aid to their territory." According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide. It would be necessary to investigate carefully to determine whether it fits within the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies. This echoes the call that South African lawyers made before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023 when the South African government took the bold step of taking the Israeli regime to The Hague. South Africa filed the papers on 29 December 2023 at the ICJ requesting the court, asking it to declare "on an urgent basis that Israel is in breach of its obligations in terms of the Genocide Convention, should immediately cease all acts and measures in breach of those obligations and take a number of related actions". When the book was released the number of Palestinians killed by Israel stood at about 43,846 people, most of them civilians, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The number of those killed today stands at 51,240 Palestinians - mainly civilians. These figures exclude those under the rubble. History will judge both Pope Francis and South Africa favourably, but in the meantime the haters will continue to fight for space… but we cannot stop now. We have to do more and take our provisional measures placed before the ICJ to the International Criminal Court. The Pope's love for Palestinians as part of the wretched of the earth is unmatched by today's clergy or leaders of all faiths and doctrines. He symbolised and lived with hope and solidarity and believes as we all must: Hope Never Disappoints. The pope was inspired by hope and compassion, campaigning against what he defined as the globalisation of indifference, which he said is an ugly disease. Howard Zinn wrote: "We cannot be neutral on a moving train". We must stand for the poor, the marginalised, the voiceless against those who usurp all the resources like the environment. In his famous encyclical, Pope Laudato si' (2015), Pope Francis' encyclical on ecology, climate change, and care for our common home he educated us on the importance of caring for mother earth, and urged action against global warming, stating that "the Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.". He railed against global inequality and excessive consumerism, waste and greed. But he never forgot the refugees, the victims of political, military and environmental abuses of power. The pope consistently spoke out against Israel's terrorism and genocide against Palestinians. The UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) wrote this shattering reminder: At least 100 children are reported killed or injured every day in #Gaza, since the strikes resumed (on 18 March) according to @UNICEF… Young lives cut short in a war not of children's making. Since the war began over a year-and-half ago, 15,000 children have reportedly been killed. The ceasefire at the beginning of the year gave Gaza's children a chance to survive and be children. The resumption of the war is again robbing them of their childhood. The war has turned Gaza into a 'no land' for children. This is a stain on our common humanity. To end, on 24 December 2024, I co-wrote a poem with Pope Francis (he did not know it)... *WALKING IN GAZAN SHOES* With pain I think of Gaza So much pain I think of Gaza I think of the children Machine gunned in gaza With pain I think of Gaza Of the bombings The bombings of schools and hospitals Oh Gaza What cruelty in Gaza Gaza So much cruelty Yesterday children Children were bombed(again) in Gaza Bombed in Gaza Bombed This is not war This is cruelty The pain of Gaza Touches deep into my heart Hassl (and Pope Francis, Christmas eve 2024) * Hassen Lorgat is a social justice activist who has worked in trade union and anti apartheid sports movements ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
